CONTEST

Introduction

We present to you the ninth edition of the Barcelona Beer Challenge (2024), a competition of international scope that has contributed to, along with other initiatives, bringing to a new level of recognition and visibility for the best quality beers.

This new edition is born out of the desire to continue promotion and give visibility to this industry; a task that began with the first edition of the Barcelona Beer Challenge in 2016.

Impact of the previous edition

The 2023 BBC edition was attended by 181 breweries which submitted over 1,126 beer references to the competition, from 17 different countries, representing all existing categories in the BJCP catalogue. That reflects successful levels of participation of this contest which consolidates the awards that recognize, certify, and disseminate the quality of beers that offer the highest standards quality. These awards are guaranteed by a jury with specific qualifications and training, to achieve the decisions of this one supposed to national and international recognition of the awarded beers.

The main objectives of the BBC are:

  • Recognize those beers that are brewed respecting high-quality standards and in a faithful manner to the different styles they represent.
  • Contribute to the professionalization of beer sector, keeping a certified professional jury that use internationally certified tasting protocols.
  • Guiding the consumer, both nationally and internationally, when buying beer within the current wide range.

Contribute to the dissemination of beer culture through award-winning beers, regarding their diversity of styles and also the quality that they are offering.

Origins

The BBC, inspired by different beer competitions worldwide, aims to contribute to the task of spreading information about quality beers across our country. This work, which comes from several areas in the brewing sector, needs adequate distinction tools to use them as an icon of quality within the market.

This contest was born under the organizational umbrella of the Barcelona Beer Festival, the main event of the sector in Spain and one of the main events in southern Europe, which last edition attracted 15,000 unique visitors in one weekend, and where the best breweries in the world meet. Currently, the awards ceremony takes place during the InnBrew, the brewing convention, unique in the state, which is held during the same dates as the Festival, to create synergies between the InnBrew competition and the Festival, a meeting point for industry professionals from around the world, giving an outstanding media impact to the sector; thus getting the message of the event to reach society through the notoriety achieved in the press.

Take part of it!

Who can participate?

  • This eighth edition of the BBC is open to all breweries that wish to participate and who comply with current legislation from their corresponding countries in terms of the production and marketing of beer.
  • Participation in the contest is also open to brands that elaborate their beers in brewing facilities that hold the appropriate permits in terms of the production and marketing of beer.
This BBC’s edition will be limited to 1.500 entries to ensure beer’s evaluation quality.

To promote competitiveness and equal opportunities, this year’s competition has a limit of fifteen beers per brewery, so that more breweries can aspire to the three big awards. The BBC has been working for years with the main international beer competitions and the knowledge and exchange with them has led us to keep two indicators under control: The ratio of medals/entries (13% is a good figure, within parameters where exceeding 25% is considered bad practice) and on the other hand, the rankings of breweries with the most medals are not excessively similar to those with the most beers entered.

The jury will be composed of national and international judges, all of them holders of the BJCP certificate (Beer Judge Certification Program) or similar studies.

The BJCP certification program, launched in 1985, requires passing rigorous theoretical and practical tests to obtain it, and is an indispensable requirement for the selection of judges among the most prestigious festivals on a worldwide level.  We thus ensure a professional jury, with certified skills and criteria to taste, evaluate and score beer in a competitive context.

The regulations governing the contest that determine the BBC’s rules, organization and registration fees can be download in PDF format here